Tkinter, wxPython, PyGtk, or PyQt...

[John Jameson]

hi carl,

I'm totally new with graphics for python. I'm using windows, but you
make it sound like I need to know how to program with MFC to use them?
Is this true? Can't you just stay in python?
best,
John



I would like like to start doing some GUI-programming in Python, but don't
know which library to choose.

Tkinter seems a bit old. Correct me if I am wrong! The layout doesn't look
as nice as for the others.

wxPython seems to be the first-hand choice for people doing W32-programming
(with MFC-experience).

PyGtk seems to be a modern, very clean and nice approach, but with poor
W32-support. Is PyGtk a mature library with respect to version stability
and documentation.

PyQt is a huge library (thanks to Qt), but not free on W32, or?

Is there any possibility that any of the above-mentioned libraries will be
included as a standard library in any of the near-future Python
distributions?

I myself program on W32 at work, but use Linux at home. So, which one should
I start with in order to reduce the effort of learning something new and to
be productive in the shortest time possible?

By the way, how do I most easily include plotting capabilities to my
Python-apps?

Carl

 

[Benjamin]

hi carl,

I'm totally new with graphics for python. I'm using windows, but you
make it sound like I need to know how to program with MFC to use them?
Is this true? Can't you just stay in python?

Yes, all of the libraries below let you stay in Python. (They have
binary backends, though.)

best,
John



I would like like to start doing some GUI-programming in Python, but don't
know which library to choose.

Tkinter seems a bit old. Correct me if I am wrong! The layout doesn't look
as nice as for the others.

Yes, and it's not very powerful. However, it's really easy to use and
bundled with every Python installation. I like to use it for little
internal projects.

wxPython seems to be the first-hand choice for people doing W32-programming
(with MFC-experience).

I started out with this kit until I discovered PyQt (and realized the
docs were all C++)...

PyGtk seems to be a modern, very clean and nice approach, but with poor
W32-support. Is PyGtk a mature library with respect to version stability
and documentation. I wouldn't know.

PyQt is a huge library (thanks to Qt), but not free on W32, or?

All versions of Qt4 are available under GPL for Mac, X11, and Windows.
It's big, but very powerful. I have found it to work well on all 3
platforms. The documentation, in my opinion, the most important part,
is super. It's very easy to extend and make your own widgets. The only
thing I find rather clumsy is the I18N support. Pick this toolkit if
you're going to do any serious development.

Is there any possibility that any of the above-mentioned libraries will be
included as a standard library in any of the near-future Python
distributions? Not really

I myself program on W32 at work, but use Linux at home. So, which one should
I start with in order to reduce the effort of learning something new and to
be productive in the shortest time possible?

Tkinter will get what you want done fast, but PyQt is much more
powerfull.

 

[kyosohma]

hi carl,

I'm totally new with graphics for python. I'm using windows, but you
make it sound like I need to know how to program with MFC to use them?
Is this true? Can't you just stay in python?
best,
John

I would like like to start doing some GUI-programming in Python, but don't
know which library to choose.

Tkinter seems a bit old. Correct me if I am wrong! The layout doesn't look
as nice as for the others.

I've seen some powerful stuff done in Tkinter. While I prefer
wxPython, it's still a valid choice. If you browse the list, you'll
notice that Tk is going to be (or just has been) upgraded, so Tkinter
should start looking better soon.

wxPython seems to be the first-hand choice for people doing W32-programming
(with MFC-experience).

This one changes too often to be included in the official Python
distro. But the changes are also beneficial. If you have a C++
background, then this one should be extremely easy to pick up. I use
it in all my GUI apps now.

From what I've read and seen, wxPython uses the native widgets on
whatever platform it is deployed on, so it should have the native
"look and feel" most of the time.

PyGtk seems to be a modern, very clean and nice approach, but with poor
W32-support. Is PyGtk a mature library with respect to version stability
and documentation.

PyQt is a huge library (thanks to Qt), but not free on W32, or?

Is there any possibility that any of the above-mentioned libraries will be
included as a standard library in any of the near-future Python
distributions?

Tkinter is already included with Python and has been for quite some
time.

I myself program on W32 at work, but use Linux at home. So, which one should
I start with in order to reduce the effort of learning something new and to
be productive in the shortest time possible?

By the way, how do I most easily include plotting capabilities to my
Python-apps?

The people on the wxPython user's group usually mention matplot for
this sort of thing. I think they combine it with wxPython's drawing/
blitting capabilities, but since I don't do that myself, I am not
completely sure of the implementation.

Carl

Hope that helps some!

Mike

 

[gsal]

is PyQt related to Qt? I presume so.

is Qt needed for PyQt?

is PyQt usable in all platforms Python is available and is it GPLed,
too?

I read TrollTech webpage on QT and the Windows version is not free for
in-house development in the private industry; licenses start around
$6000 for the first year and $2000-$3000 from then on.

gsal

 

[Diez B. Roggisch]

is PyQt related to Qt? I presume so.

is Qt needed for PyQt?
Sure.

is PyQt usable in all platforms Python is available and is it GPLed,
too?

Yes.


Diez

 

[Benjamin]

is PyQt related to Qt? I presume so.

I sure that if it wasn't, Trolltech would be on their back...